The African Leadership Magazine is expected to present on Thursday, June 14, 2018, one of its prestigious awards, the African Female Business Leadership Excellence Award to Ms. Leelai M. Kpukuyou, chief executive officer of Mini Mall.
The event, which will be held at the Hilton Park Lane, Mayfair London, United Kingdom will attracts over 250 businesses, business leaders and professionals, as it provides a powerful networking opportunity for key African business players to connect with other business leaders from Europe and other parts of the world.
In a letter to Kpukuyou, Dr. Ken Giami, Publisher and chief executive officer of African Leadership Magazine (ALM), said the initiative serves as a platform to discover business leaders that are creating a culture of entrepreneurship, developing best practices and carving powerful and sustainable business models in the African and global economy.
“You were selected to be conferred with the African Female Business Leadership Excellence Award, in recognition of your outstanding posturing as one of Africa’s most distinguished female business leaders,” Dr. Giami told Kpukuyou.
Dr. Giami said honorees are selected by a distinguished board comprised of eminent business leaders based on the following criteria including, Corporate Performance, Vision and Leadership, Global Competitiveness, Innovation, and Social Responsibility.
According to the publisher, the award also award recognizes exceptional leadership and managerial skill in a female business leader; who in spite of stiff competition in a male-dominated world has shown resilience, courage and sagacity in building a worthy brand.
In a letter Dr. Giami described Kpukuyou’s “efforts in developing and empowering women and youth in Liberia” as “an inspiration and commendable.”
He said the advisory board, in its approval note for this award also listed Ms. Kpukuyou’s exceptional leadership impact on the lives of both internal and external communities and “your unalloyed commitment to excellence as the basis for this honor.”
Over the years, according to Giami the African Leadership Magazine platform has served as a vehicle that showcases organizations and individuals who are dedicated to achieving excellence and fostering development in Africa.
About Leelai
Leelai Kpukuyou is the secretary general of the Liberia Business Association (LIBA), from 2011 to present, Board Chair of Sanoyea Reality Incorporated, a sister company to Mini Mall Enterprise, Inc.
She is a strong advocate for youth and women empowerment through entrepreneurship with emphasis on private sector development, developing suitable environments, strategy for international investors in Liberia and encouraging the international increase in trade and commerce in the country.
At the Liberian Business Association (LIBA), Leelai is also responsible for Youth and Women Empowerment through Entrepreneurship. She visits various universities and business training institutions of higher learning to share with business students her experiences and encourage the spirit of wealth creation by starting their own business rather than seeking jobs that are already scarce.
As CEO of Mini Mall Enterprise Inc., Kpukuyou initiated a commission-based distribution model, where more than forty women and youths who are mainly high school dropouts, teen-aged mothers, ex-child soldiers from the Liberian civil war were supplied various goods on credit to sell and pay the cost of the goods while retaining the profit.
Today, more than 75% of these disadvantaged Liberians are now self-employed and some have diversified into commercial transport (motorbike), shop owners, cross border traders, etc.